General Hospital: The Misogyny-Ending Magic of Sabrina; A 50th Anniversary Appeal to GH Fans in the Poconos

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Isn't it amazing that we all seem to love General Hospitaldespite the fact that it's scored three strikes within that many weeks?  The end of the vampire story was a real disaster, violent and oh so ridiculous.  Speaking of ridiculous, isn't Sonny romancing -- and sleeping with -- both … [Read more...]

Moose Says: General Hospital Can Snare … the Soon-to-be-Prized Old Guy Demographic?

Marlena says: Soap fans everywhere are cautiously optimistic that, against all odds, there’s been a hopeful turn in the heretofore bleak fortunes of soap opera. Ratings are strong and even improving for the four network soaps that survived the death watch of the past few years, and Prospect Park is said to be moving full steam ahead to bring two of … [Read more...]

Sunday Reflections 3: The Young and the Restless, General Hospital, Days of Our Lives

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a Connie Passalacqua Hayman The Young and the Restless: Finally a soap does what I’ve long advocated for this era of desperation:  perform a radical life-saving change to save itself.  Y&R has sent in then Marines in the form of new executive producer Jill Farren Phelps and new headwriter Josh Griffith. And Marlena … [Read more...]

Daytime Emmys 2012: Respect Was Surprisingly Shown

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a Connie Passalacqua Hayman Today I'm going to use a word I've never used in a decade of viewing the Daytime Emmys (but nearly always used when I attended the 22 years previously).  I actually "enjoyed" Saturday night's Daytime Emmys on HLN.Don't freak out -- there are "excepts" which I'll get into later.  You see, … [Read more...]

More General Hospital: Outrageously the “M” Word

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman When Moose came home from work yesterday, he thought he'd have to dump a bucket of cold water over my head.  I couldn't stop yelling, over and over again,"No, they really didn't do this!"  General Hospital had a scene where Carly and Todd flirted/talked, and Todd was bare-chested.  But … [Read more...]

The Daytime Emmys: Happy At Last

For another view of the Daytime Emmys, read the post following this one by Marlena's longtime friend and colleague Ed Martin.  A veteran TV industry journalist and analyst, Ed is a columnist for JackMyers.com. By Marlena De Lacroix From out of a dying soap industry, from out of a cable network I never watch, last night arrived the most … [Read more...]

Ask Marlena: Whatever Happened to the Marlena Awards?

By Marlena De Lacroix Hi everyone! I'm ecstatic to be snowed under with the many, many Ask Marlena questions submitted by all of you in the past week.  They are all intelligent and thoughtful and I am so flattered to hear from so many Thinking Fans I've gotten to know over the past year. I'm starting with just one great question today, and will … [Read more...]

Marlena’s Emmy Picks in 2008’s Humpty Dumpty Soap World

By Marlena De Lacroix I'm not overly excited about this week's Daytime Emmys. I could be fluffy and say it's because they moved the ceremony  to L.A. several years ago and I don't get to go and to buy a dress, and to me (I attended here in New York 23 years in a row) the Daytime Emmys was always about The Dress.  But the truth is, daytime drama, … [Read more...]

Daytime Emmy Noms 2008: The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same

By Marlena De Lacroix I first attended and wrote about the Daytime Emmys in 1980 and I should be over them by now.  But I continue, year after year, to be exasperated by the fact that two things never change.  1) No matter how many times they have been revised or have been updated over the years, the nomination and award processes are still … [Read more...]

General Hospital: Looking Back on 45 Years

(A note from Marlena:  It's General Hospital's 45th anniversary!  Here's a celebration of the event by my good friend and journalistic colleague Ed Martin.  Ed and I have been happily debating General Hospital over coffee now for almost ten  years -- and believe moi, we're not always happy about the current state of the show.  Still,  Ed is clearly … [Read more...]